The demand of autonomy by Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat) is ill-timed and wasteful. It is embarrassing to Nigeria as a nation and amounts to telling the outside world that there is no law and order in Nigeria.
There are still so many things to do with the present mandate given to NigComSat as a company under the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology.
Proponents of autonomy for NigComSat seek an Act that will give the NigComSat Corporation power to engage in, purchase and otherwise acquire or take over the assets, business, company, firm or persons and act in furtherance of all and any business associated and or relating to the satellite industry.
But as laudable as this move is, it is fundamentally flawed because government has no business in business.
It is also against government’s move to cut down cost of governance as the functions of the proposed Corporation are being performed by the Nigerian Space Research and Development Agency.
In all intents and purposes, the idea behind the Nigerian Communications Satellite incorporated on April 4, 2006 is excellent.
It is supposed to manage and exploit the commercial viability of the NigComSat-1R, the hybrid geostationary satellite and other future communication satellites for the social economic benefit of the nation.
NigComSat-1R, a replacement satellite for the doomed NigComSat-1 Satellite was launched in December 2011 to offer cost effective solution and affordable access to meet Nigeria’s telecommunications, broadcast, aviation, maritime, defense and security needs.
But almost a year down the line, little or nothing has changed; internet access is far from being ubiquitous, accessible and affordable. It has a lot to do.
It would make great sense if the managers of the NigComSat-1R Satellite can concentrate on harnessing the touted benefits of the satellite.
The satellite is currently not playing some of its advertised roles.
For instance, Nigerian firms still rely on foreign owned satellites for e-commerce activities while the much hyped cheaper access to the rural communities promised by NigComSat-1R is still a mirage.
The national assembly must be guided to ensure that Nigeria do not make the mistake of creating another white elephant.
An autonomous NigComsat is not healthy for the country because if the company borrows from banks to launch more satellites, Nigeria as a country is liable in case of default.
An autonomous NigComsat will also compromise the National Space Programme of the Federal Government with the creation of a parallel space agency.
It is a wasteful duplication of functions and activities as contained in the National Space Research and Development Agency Act 2010.
The provisions of the NASRDA Act are similar to what is obtainable in the United States of America where the National Aeronautic and Space Administration is the sole regulatory body conferred with all satellite related functions.